Available in time for Mother's and Father’s Day, Hydro Vibe is the ideal device for on-the-go parents

May 05, 2014

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. & SAN DIEGO (BUSINESS WIRE), May 05, 2014 - Just in time for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, spring showers and beach days, Sprint (NYSE:S) will offer the all new Kyocera Hydro Vibe waterproof 4G LTE smartphone beginning Friday, May 9. As we move into summer, Virgin Mobile USA will offer the Android™ device as well, without a contract, beginning May 27. Bringing this feature-rich smartphone to both Sprint and Virgin Mobile gives customers choice in how they pay for their devices and their monthly service plans.

According to recent survey data from comScore , 55 percent of people with children say they are “very likely” to purchase a waterproof phone – and for good reason. Parents report damaging phones twice as frequently as those without children.

“The demand for waterproof smartphones has only increased since Kyocera introduced the original Hydro in the U.S. in 2012,” said David Owens, senior vice president-Product, Sprint. “Hydro Vibe is the third generation of waterproof Kyocera devices Sprint has brought to our prepaid and postpaid customers. Vibe eliminates the worries of liquid damage during a day at the beach or a day on the job without having to invest in a waterproof case or sacrificing the sleek style and functionality we expect from smartphones.”

Kyocera Hydro Vibe is the newest addition to Kyocera’s successful Hydro Series of waterproof Android smartphones, all of which can be completely submerged in up to one meter (3.28 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. Built with affordable style and everyday protection in mind, Hydro Vibe features a thin bezel and Kyocera’s award-winning Smart Sonic Receiver audio technology, allowing users to hear conversations more clearly in noisy environments like baseball games and loud restaurants.

“Kyocera is at the forefront of waterproof technology for mobile devices, proving that extra protection from life’s accidents doesn’t mean a smartphone has to be expensive and bulky," said Eric Anderson, senior vice president and general manager of global sales and marketing at Kyocera Communications Inc. "Hydro Vibe builds on the success of the original Kyocera Hydro and more than 40 Kyocera waterproof devices launched worldwide. It’s a great gift idea for Mom or Dad or for anyone who wants some added protection from the elements during spring showers or summer fun."

In addition to being IP57-rated for protection against dust and water intrusion, Kyocera Hydro Vibe boasts the following features:

Near Field Communication (NFC)-capable for easy file sharing with other NFC-enabled devices

Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ processor with 1.2GHz quad-core CPU

Wireless charging (PMA)

2,000mAh battery for longer use on a single charge, plus Kyocera’s proprietary Eco-Mode and MaxiMZR power-management apps

8GB of on-board memory, expandable to 32GB with microSD™

The device also will have the added advantage of running on Sprint SparkTM in markets where available. Sprint Spark is an enhanced LTE service designed to greatly improve the performance of video and other bandwidth-intensive applications. With peak wireless speed of 60Mbps, Sprint Spark enables stutter-free video chat on-the-go and mobile gaming that leaves lag behind.

Sprint recently launched six new Spark markets -- Newark, N.J.; Oakland, Calif.; Orlando, Fla.; Tacoma, Wash.; Waukegan, Ill., and West Palm Beach, Fla. Sprint has launched 24 Sprint Spark markets and is expected to reach 100 million people by the end of the year.

In addition to Sprint Spark, Sprint continues to bring the most advanced innovation in sound quality to its customers with High-Definition (HD) Voice. HD Voice is a new Sprint standard for crystal-clear voice calls. It provides a fuller, more natural-sounding voice, plus noise-canceling technology that virtually eliminates background noise from places like a busy road or crowded restaurant. 1 .

The Sprint Framily Plan lets customers decide who they consider family. The more people added to the group, up to 10 phone lines, the greater the savings for everyone on the plan. For one line of service, new Sprint customers pay $55 per month per line for unlimited talk, text and 1GB of data while on the Sprint network (excluding taxes and surcharges). For each additional new Sprint customer who joins the Framily group, the cost per person goes down $5 a month up to a maximum monthly discount of $30 per line. For only $20 per month per line, Sprint Framily Plan members can buy up to unlimited data while on the Sprint network, and they are eligible to get a new phone every year.

Virgin Mobile Customers

Kyocera Hydro Vibe will be available beginning Tuesday, May 27, on www.virginmobileusa.com for $149.99. All of Virgin Mobile’s smartphones can be paired with Virgin Mobile’s Beyond Talk™ No-Contract plans with unlimited 3G data, and available 4G LTE data speeds for mobile phone service, including Android™-powered smartphones. Virgin Mobile Beyond Talk monthly unlimited data and messaging plans, which start at $35, are ideal for those smartphone users hungry for the most connectivity and the least amount of voice minutes.

Sprint (NYSE: S) offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint served nearly 55 million customers as of March 31, 2014, and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint as the most improved company in customer satisfaction, across all 47 industries, during the last five years. Sprint has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America in 2011, 2012 and 2013. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

About Virgin Mobile USA

Virgin Mobile USA offers millions of customers control, flexibility and connectivity through Virgin Mobile’s Beyond Talk™ No-Contract plans with unlimited 3G data, and available 4G LTE data speeds for mobile phone service, including Android™-powered smartphones and for prepaid Broadband2Go high-speed Web access on the Nationwide Sprint Network. Virgin Mobile-branded devices are available at more than 40,000 retail stores, including Target, Walmart, Best Buy and RadioShack. Top-Up cards are available at approximately 150,000 locations nationwide. Experience Virgin Mobile on the Web at Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, and purchase Virgin Mobile USA products at www.virginmobileusa.com. For more news, click here.

About Kyocera Communications Inc.

Kyocera Communications Inc. is the headquarters for Kyocera wireless devices in the Americas. Designed with durability, dependability, and long-term value as priorities, Kyocera mobile phones help people feel comfortable with new technology and use it to connect, perform and outsmart life’s challenges. At the heart of Kyocera’s products is a belief that one size doesn’t fit all and that people should do more with phones instead of being confused by them or having to alter their lifestyles to accommodate them. For more information, follow the company at www.facebook.com/kyoceramobilephones or www.twitter.com/kyoceramobile.

Kyocera Corporation (NYSE:KYO) (TOKYO:6971) (http://global.kyocera.com/), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine ceramics (also known as "advanced ceramics"). By combining these engineered materials with metals and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of solar power generating systems, mobile phones, printers, copiers, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial components. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014, the company’s consolidated net sales totaled 1.45 trillion yen (approx. $14.1 billion USD).

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